Vapor-stove



Patented May l6, I899. W. H; Tl-IAYEB.

VAPOR STOVE.

(Application filed Dec. 20, 1897) 2 Sheets-Sheet I.

(No Model.)

M ITNESSES.

m: HORRAS Pzrms co, Pam-sumo, vusmsmou. n. c.

N0. 625,2I4. Patented May I6, I899. W. H. THAYER.

VAPOR STOVE.

(Application filed. Dec. 20, 1897.)

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

IVILIJIAM II. TIIAYER, OF HARVEY, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE GEORGE M. CLARK & COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

VAPOR-STOVE.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 625,214, dated May 16,- 1899. Application filed December 2C5, 1897. Serial No. 662,562. (No model.)

To (tZZ whmn it may concern:

Be it known that IJVILLIAM H. THAYER, a citizen of the United States, residing in Harvey,in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Vapor-Stoves, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain improvements upon the construction of vapor-stoves set forth in the patent granted to M. A. Shepard April 12, 1881, No. 239,988, upon an automatic safety-reservoir for hydrocarbon-burners. In the patented construction the fuelreservoir consists of a vertical cylinder eX- tending a SLlffiClBll'G distance below the level of the pipe leading from the reservoir to the burner or generator to give room in the portion of the cylinder below said level to all the liquid fuel in the stove, and the fuel when the stove is charged first flows into this lower portion of the cylinder and also flows there whenever the stove is put out of operation. To start the stove, the fuel is raised to the level of the feed-pipe by a movable plunger which is in the cylinder and which is somewhat less in diameter and considerablyshorter than the cylinder, and this plunger is lowered into the fuel and acts to displace the body of it from the bottom of the cylinder and force it to the top thereof and over the plunger, a thin film or sheet of the fuel being thus caused to be always present around the plunger, so that the feed-pipe will be constantly supplied without maintaining any very large body of fuel in the reservoir or creating any great hydrostatic pressure upon it. The Shepard stove is also constructed so that the reservoir cannot be filled without raising the plunger, and the raising of the plunger necessarily puts out the stove, because the fuel is then withdrawn from that part of the cylinder above the feed-pipe and also from the feed-pipe itself.

In my present invention I seek to avail myself of some of the benefits of the Shepard patent by employing a vertical cylinder and plunger moving therein; butinstead of utilizing the cylinder as the main and only reservoir I provide a fuel-reservoir separate from and having only a restricted communication with the cylinder, whereby it may feed the the plunger instead of being shorter than the cylinder, so that room will be formed at the top of the latter for the displaced fuel, isas long as the cylinder. Provision is preferably made, however, for the unrestricted flow back into the reservoir of any of the displaced fuel which may be forced above the top of the cylinder. I also extend both the cylinder and plunger to a point above the highest level of the fuel in the reservoir. The passage leading from the'reservoir to the cylinder is also provided with a valve, which is open only during the time the plunger is in its lowermostposition. Of course in my construction, as in the patented constructiomwhen the plunger is raised the fuel within the cylinder, as well as that in the burner feed-pipe,speedily flows to and collects in the bottom of the cylinder below the feed-pipe, thus shutting off the supply of fuel to the burner and stopping the operation of the stove, and as the plunger must be raised in order to fill the reservoir it will be seen that the stove is rendered very safe.

The nature of my invention and its details of construction are fully set forth below and are also illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a vertical section of a stove embodying my present invention. Figs. 2 and 3 are vertical sections of the fuel-tank, the plunger, and plunger-receptacle, taken at right angles to each other and showing the plungerin different positions. Fig. 4 is a partial plan of the tank with its cover omitted.

In said drawings, Arepresents the top, and A one of the uprights, of the stove.

B is the burner, providedwith the cap B and the mixing tube or chamber 13 B is a socket supporting an injector-plate, and B is the device for clamping said platesuch, for instance, as that shown in my Patent No. 505,643, of September 26, l893to the socket, and B is the usual valve controlling the burner. A desirable construction of the injector-plate and socket, showing also the manner of securing them together by Patent No. 505,643.

means of a center screw, is given in my said The vapor for this burner Bis supplied through the vertical pipe B", which is connected to a generating-pipe B heated by a lamp B at the end which is joined to the pipe 13. Instead of a lamp, of course, a gas-jet or othersuitable means may be used. A surrounding tube B is preferably placed around the vapor-tube B to protect the latter from air-currents.

G is the fuel reservoir or tank, and is preferably a tank of considerable superficial area and small depth, so that it will hold a large body of oil, and yet the variations in the pressure therefrom when full and when low will be slight. Extending from above this tank to a point below the tube B is a vertical receptacle or cylinder D, joined to pipe 13 by the pipe 13 in the plane of the former. Receptacle D receives its supply of oil from the tank through the right-angled passage E, controlled by valve E,which is shown in its open or normal position in Fig. '2. Surrounding the upper end of receptacle D is a ring 0, forming an overflow tank or inclosure D within which are located the inlet C through which the tank is filled, and the upper ends of the stem of valve E and passage E.

In the-receptacle D, which forms a part of the passage-way from the tank to the burner, is a plunger D, closed at its bottom and weighted, if necessary, to enable it to displace any oil in the receptacle which may accumulate under it when raised, This plunger, as will be noticed from the drawings, nearly fills receptacle D, its diameter being somewhat less than that of the interior of the receptacle and its length being equal to or greater than that of the receptacle. It isenough smaller in diameter to enable the fuel from the passage E to flow down through the receptacle on its way to the burner and also to enable the displaced fuel to rise along its outer surface. A cover D extends over and forms a cover to the overflow-tank D thus closing the tankinlet C The valve E is operated by a pivoted lever E joined to its stem and having an upwardly-projecting end,which will be depressed by the top plate D of the plunger when thelatter is positioned as in Fig. 2. This operation of the lever E results in raising the valve E from its closed to its open or normal position. The coverD is loosely held between the operating knob or handle D and the top plate D of the plunger and is selfadjusting in accommodating itself to the overflow-tank; but being thus attached to the plunger the latter is necessarily raised whenever the oil is replenished. \Vhen the plunger is raised to permit filling of the tank, in which position it is shown at Fig. 3, the pressure upon the lever E is withdrawn and the valve falls by its own weight'into its closed position, thus shutting off the flow of the oil from the tank to the receptacle. The lifting of the plunger preparatory to recharging the tank also operates to extinguish the burners, be-

cause thereby a vacant space is formed in the bottom of receptacle D, which draws 0d the oil in the generator-pipe. The lowering of the plunger will at once restore the stove into condition for continued use by displacing the oil which collects in the bottom of the plunger receptacle or casing and forcing such oil upward in the annular space surrounding the plunger; but of course the burner must be relighted. Should there be any excess of oil in the casing at this time, it is at liberty to flow over the top of the plunger-casing into the overflow-tank and thence back into the reservoir.

It will be noticed that the level of the fuel in the tank is only very slightly afiected or disturbed by any change in position of the plunger; also, that the draining-space in the bottom of the receptacle D cannot be filled from the tank, because the valve controlling passage E automatically closes the instant the plunger is raised and shuts off said passage, thereby retaining in the tank all of the oil which may be in it at the time. It will also be noticed that the oil-passage in the pipe E is of small capacity, so that the oil must necessarily enter the plunger-chamber at a slow rate, and I prefer that it be so small as to prevent any great amount of oil reaching the plunger-chamber during the time usually occupied in-charging the reservoir, so that if the valve closing such passage should refuse to work at such times no harm would ordinarily result. The passage should be proportioned somewhat to the number of burners in the stove.

My invention as shown herein is adapted to use with low-down tanks, and I have shown it as combined with such a tank. I do not wish, however, to be limited in my claims to a low-down tank, as obviously the reservoir can be located at any desired height.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s

1. The combination in a vapor-burning stove, with a reservoir adapted to hold the main body of the fuel, a burner and a generator, of a plunger receptacle or casing, said casing being separate from thereservoir but receiving the oil therefrom by a feed-passage and supplying it to said generator, and a plunger serving to displace the oil in the easing and to return excess oil to the reservoir, substantially as specified.-

2. In a vapor-stove, the plunger receptacle or casing, a plunger substantially filling said receptacle or casing when lowered therein, a generator and a burner, in combination with a reservoir communicating with said receptacle by a small feed-passage, and also receiving any overflow from the receptacle occurring when the plunger is lowered,-substantially as specified.

3. The combination in a vapor-burning stove with a plunger receptacle or casing, a plunger in said receptacle, and a generator,

of a reservoir holding the liquid fuel and communicatin g with said receptacle, and a valve controlled by the plunger and regulating the passage of the fuel from the reservoir to the receptacle, substantially as specified.

4. The combination in a vapor-burning stove with a receptacle D, plunger D, a gen-v erator, and burner B, of a reservoir for holding the liquid fuel communicating with said receptacle, a valve controlling the passage of the fuel from the reservoir to the receptacle, and a guard or cover for guarding the fillinginlet of said reservoir, said guard or cover being connected to said plunger so that the latter is raised whenever the cover or guard is removed from said filling-inlet and all burner-flames are automatically cut off, substantially as described.

5. In combination with a vapor-burningstove reservoir, a receptacle D, receiving fuel from said reservoir by a small feed-passage, said receptacle forming a fuel-passage from the reservoir to the burner, the upper portion of said receptacle terminating above the highest liquid-point in said reservoir, and a movable plunger operating within said receptacle, substantially as described.

6. In combination with a vapor-burningstove reservoir, a receptacle D communicating with said reservoir, said receptacle forming a fuel-passage from the reservoir to the burner and the upper portion of said receptacle terminating above the highest liquidpoint in said reservoir, a movable plunger operating within said receptacle, and a valve controlling the passage of the fuel from the reservoir to the burner automatically whenever said plunger is raised or lowered, substanally as described.

7. In combination with a vapor-stove reservoir, a receptacle D, communicating with said reservoir by a small feed-passage, said receptacle forming a fuel-passage from the reservoir to the generator and the upper portion of said receptacle terminating above the highest liquid-point in said reservoir, amovable plunger operating Within said receptacle, and a valve controlling the passage of the fuel from the reservoir to the burner, substantially as described.

8. The combination in a vapor-burning stove with a plunger-receptacle, a plunger therein, and a burner B connected with said receptacle, of a liquid-fuel reservoir communicatin g with said receptacle by a small feedpassage, both said receptacle and said plunger extending above the highest liquid-point in the reservoir, and the plunger nearly filling the receptacle and acting to displace the fuel in the latter, and an automatic valve controlling the movement of the fuel from the reservoir when the plunger is raised, substantially as specified.

9. The combination in a vapor-burning stove, with the plunger-receptacle, the plunger and agenerator, of a shallow fuel-reservoir of large area communicating with said receptacle by a small feed-passage and also receiving fuel overflowing therefrom, said receptacle extending above the highest liquidpoint in the receptacle and also extending below the generator, substantially as specified.- 10. The combination with the reservoir 0,

the vertical cylinder D extending above the highest liquid-point in the reservoir, the plunger displacing the fuel in cylinder D, and an overflow-receptacle above the reservoir and discharging into the same and also receiving the overflow from the top of said cylinder, substantially as specified.

11. The combination with the reservoir 0, the vertical cylinder D extending above the highest liquid-point in the reservoir, a plunger displacing the fuel in cylinder D, and an overflow receptacle above the reservoir and discharging into the same and also receiving inder to the generator and opening into the former above its bottom, and a plunger nearly filling said cylinder and also extending above the oil in the reservoir so that it is adapted to exclude nearly all the fuel from the cylin der, substantially as specified.

13. The combination in a vapor-stove with a fuel-reservoir and a generator for converting the oil into vapor, of a vertical receptacle ICO D, made separate from and communicating with the reservoir and forming a portion of the passage for the oil from the tank to the generator, a connection leading from the receptacle to the generator and opening into the former above its bottom, a plunger within said receptacle and movable vertically therein, and a valve controlling the oil-passage from the reservoir to said generator and closin g automatically upon the lifting of the plunger, substantially as specified.

14:. The combination with the reservoir and generator of the vertical receptacle D, and its plunger and the valve for shutting off the flow of the oil from the reservoir to the said receptacle,said plunger controlling, said valve and being also provided with means for guarding the inlet-opening of the reservoir,.substantially as specified.

15. The combination in a vapor-stove, of a fuel-reservoir, a generator, a vertical recep tacle D receiving the oil from the reservoir and conducting it to the generator, a plunger in said receptacle, and a valve controlled by said plunger and acting to shutoff the flow of oil from said reservoir when the plunger is raised, substantially as specified.

16. The combination with the oil-reservoir, the'overflow-tank inclosing the filling-inlet of the reservoir, a cylinder extending vertically through the reservoir and into said tank, a plunger movable in said cylinder; which is movable vertically through said tank, and a cover for the overflow-tank attached to said plunger and capable of a rocking movement thereon so that it adjusts itself to the top of the tank, substantially as specified.

17. The vapor-stove wherein are combined a reservoir in which the fuel is subjected to no pressure, a plunger chamber receiving fuel from the reservoir, a plunger for displacing the oil in said chamber, and a generator rea chamber and aplunger for displacing the 2 fuel therein, of a reservoir separate from said chamber but supplyingit with fuel by means of a small feed-passage, said reservoir being also arranged to receive the overflow from the chamber caused by the displacing action 25 of the plunger, substantially as specified.

, WILLIAM H. THAYER. Witnesses: v

GEORGE M. CLARK, H. M. MUNDAY. 

